HAND PRINT WORKSHOP INTERNATIONAL

In the early 80s the Hand Print Workshop was a “developing” studio without a clear mission. It was a resource for local artists to make prints, a classroom for students and a space for Dennis O’Neil to work. Progressively the studio was less and less open to others and more O’Neil’s private studio, as he was having success with his large scale monoprints. That said, the solitary existence was a departure from his previous studio experiences of regular interaction with other artists. Being an artist for him was about questioning, risk taking and change. O'Neil began to move away from monotypes and began inviting “non printmaking” artists into the studio to collaborate on projects based on their ideas, but built on his expanding knowledge and expertise in printmaking. He felt he needed an external challenge to bring out his basic strengths and talents that were under utilized.